4 Times A Gun Was Pulled On A Wrestler (For Real)

There's a long history of guns in professional wrestling, and we're not talking about Hulk Hogan's arms. From Stone Cold threatening the WWE chairman to Jeff Jarrett getting spooked in TNA, firearms have persistently been used to advance plot points in the ring.

In these instances, however, the gun in question has been 100% fake (at least you would presume so). The performers brandishing them were merely told to do so by their creative masters, and the people on the other end of the barrel therefore completely safe from any harm.

Not all gun-related wrestling anecdotes have involved counterfeit firearms though. There have been one or two stories over the years where wrestlers - or indeed fans - have pulled out a weapon in order to legitimately intimidate a famous star of the squared circle. Can you imagine that? Those in the wrestling business resorting to threats of violence to resolve their differences.

In all fairness, most of the time it leads to nothing. The flashing of one's gun is merely meant to communicate to a sparring partner that they're not someone to mess with. Which is fine. Just ask any judge.

These days, it's impossible to imagine a rivalry between two mainstream American wrestling promotions becoming so intense that a star of one would threaten a star from the other with a gun.

But 30 years ago, the industry landscape was a little different. On the one hand, you had Vince McMahon's WWF, fast growing into its new role as the country's number one company, and on the other the NWA, desperately trying to keep pace.

According to Hulk Hogan, NWA legend Harley Race became particularly irked one time when the WWF decided to hold a show in what he considered to be his company's territory - so much so that he stormed into their locker room and pulled a gun out on The Hulkster while he was on the toilet.

Fortunately for Hogan (and the next few decades of wrestling history), Race cooled off once the duo came eye to eye, apparently telling his WWF counterpart: "I came here to blow your damn kneecaps off, but I'd rather work with you guys." Because nothing impresses potential employers more than the threat of physical violence.